Air-brake release valve



Filed oct. 2s, 1925 l www Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PHILIP B. ROHNRR, OF CARROLL, IOWA,

A-SSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO ANDREW A.

DREES, or CARROLL, IOWA.

AIR-BRAKE RELEASE VALVE.

Application filed October 23. 1925-. Serial No. 64,331.

T 0 0,25 whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, PHILIP B. ROHNER, of

Carroll, in the county of Carroll and State y of Iowa, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brake Release Valves, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to air-brake-release valves of the type disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,452,495, issued April 24, 1923, the primary Object of the present improvements being to provide a construction and arrangement whereby the pressure of the Aescaping Huid will effect a more secure sealing of the passage to the upper port. I

he drawing shows a sectional'elevation of a valve embodying my improvements.

The reference numeral 1 denotes a portion of the auxiliary reservoir or the brake cylin der. Into this cylinder is threaded the nipple or stem 2 of a lower valve body or casing 3, and an upper valve casing or body member 4 rests upon .said lower body member or casing. The members 3 and 4 are formed with axially alined chambers 5 and 6 in their opposed ends and an outlet 7 leads from the upper chamber 6, an auxiliary or branch Outlet 8 being usually provided to lead trom the outlet 7 through the side of the body' member 4, as shown. The outlet 7 maybe provided by the bore of the body member 4 but I prefer to employ a bushing or lining, as shown, which may be easily renewed when worn and is, of course, provided with an opening through its side to register with the outlet 8. The lower end of the bushing projects slightly below the top of the chamber 6 to form a seat for the main release valve 9 which has a stem 1U extending through the main outlet passage 7 and projecting above the upper end thereof.

A spring 11 coiled around the stud or stem 12, depending from the valve 9, holds the valve normally seated, the spring bearing at its upper end against the valve and at its 'lower end against the shoulder or iange 13 of a coupling sleeve 14 which has its opposite ends threaded into the meeting ends of the chambers 5 and 6 and thereby securely connects the members 3 and 4. It will be noted that the upper end of the coupling is of less diameter than its lower end so that a shoulder is provided to abut the body member 4 and lie Hush in the body member 3 whereby the body members may be brought together in a close joint.- The lower end of the stem 12 plays loosely in a central Opening 20 through the lower end of the coupling 14. `The upper extremity of the valve stem 1() bears against a rocker or lever 15 which is disposed within a recess or groove 16 across the upper end of the body member 4, said rocker or lever being provided with notches or seats 17 in its upper edge to engage the respective fulcrum pins 18 dis* posed transversely in the recess or groove 16 whereby the rocker may be operated from either end. p Arms 19 depend from theJ ends of the rocker and chains or cables, not shown, extend from the lower ends O these arms to the sides of the car so that the operator may -work from either side. The

port 20 permits the flow of air from the cylinder 1 to the valve 9, said valve being seated, when the brakes are applied, under the influence of the spring 11 and the air pressure from the cylinder.

The construction thus far described or its equivalent is now invuse. To release the brakes, it is necessary to reduce the pressure in the cylinder or reservoirl, and this resul't is accomplished by rockingV the rocker` 15 so that the stem 10 is depressed and the valve 9 is unseated, permitting the air to escape through the outlets 7 and 8. Obviously, however, the operator now must hold the valve depressed against the action of the spring 11 until the required reduction of pressure has been eEected. By my invention, the operator merely gives an initial pull upon either arm 19 to start the eX- hausting ilow whereupon the flow will be automatically maintained until the pressure reaches the proper low degree, at which time the flow will be automatically cut off.

In applying my invention, 1 form an outlet port 21 through the casing or body mem-y ber 3 Vleading from the lower end of the chamber 5 therein which lower end is preterablv tapered, as shown, with its inverted apex at the bore of the nipple 2. Fitted to the tapered lower end of the chamber 5 and normally covering and closing the port 21, is a diaphragm or valve 22 which may conveniently be a rubber disk pressed to hollow conical form and having a depending nipple 23 at its center. 4

Vhen the valve 9 is unseated in the manner above described, the rush of air to and through the port 2O creates a suction which causes the diaphragm to seat against the lower end of the coupling so that it covers the port 2O and uncovers the port 2l, the air then escaping through the port 2l until the pressure in the cylinder l is properly reduced whereupon the diaphragm will return to its normal position as shown. rlhe lower end of the coupling is grooved, as shown at 24, to be engaged by a turning tool in assembling or disassembling the parts. As the air rushes toward the port 20, the pressure compresses the lips of the nipple and seals the nipple. The outsidel edge of the diaphragm is always air-tight as the lower end of the coupling le is brought to bear thereon when the valve is assembled. The nipple 23 also aids in centering the diaphragm when assembling the parts.

It will be readily seen that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive device whereby the operation of bleeding the cylinder to release the brakes will be performed automatically after the exhausting flow is initially set up.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1- l. In a brake release valve, an upper port, a lower port, and a diaphragm disposed between the ports and normally closing the lower port, said diaphragm being operable under pressure from the brake cylinder to open the lower port and close the upper port and having' a flexible central depending nipple disposed in the path of escaping pressure fluid to be closed thereby.

2. In an air valve, a conical diaph'agm of elastic material having a tubular port formed integral therewith and extending from the apex of the cone.

3. In an air valve, an elastic diaphragm having an elastic tubular port formed in tegral therewith.

4. In an air valve, the combination with a circular diaphragm having a central opening formed therein, of a collapsible tubular port secured to said diaphragm surrounding the central opening.

5. In an air valve, a conical diaphragm having an open nipple extending` from the apex thereof, adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof.

6. In an air valve, a diaphragm having an open nipple extending therefrom adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof.

7. In an air valve, a conical Adiaphragm having an open nipple extending from the apex thereof, adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof, and to close when the pressure upon the nipple side is substantially greater than upon the opposite side.

8. In an air valve, a diaphragm 'having an open nipple extending therefrom adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof and to close when the pressure upon the nipple side is substantially greater than upon the opposite side.

9. In an air valve, a conical diaphragm having a nipple extending from the apex thereof, and a diamond-shaped opening extending thiough the nipple lengthwise thereof adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof.

i0. In an air valve,a diaphragm having a nipple extending therefrom, and a diamond-shaped opening extending through the nipple lengthwise thereof adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof.

l1. In an air valve, a conical diaphragm having a nipple extending from the apex thereof, and a diamond-shaped opening extending through the nipple lengthwise thereof adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof and to close when the pressure upon the nipple side is substantially greater than upon the opposite side.

l2. In an air valve, a diaphragm having a nipple extending'therefrom and a diamond-shaped opening extending through the nipple lengthwise thereof adapted to permit the passage of air through the diaphragm when the pressure on either side thereof is only slightly greater than upon the opposite side thereof and to close when the pressure upon the nipple side is substantially greater than upon the opposite side.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

PHILIP B. ROHNER. 

